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BRING THE FAMILY TO UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS FOR MOUNT VERNON NIGHT

Mayor Ernest D. Davis will be hosting under the big top on March 28th when the UniverSoul Circus holds a special Mount Vernon Night. The circus campground is set up on 149th Street and Exterior Street in the Bronx. Showtime begins at 7:30 p.m.

The single ring circus, originally formed to inspire Black audiences, has evolved over the last 20 years to become a culturally diverse troupe of performers from all over the world. “This circus reminds me of Mount Vernon – culturally diverse and talent filled,” said Mayor Davis. “When I was approached about the idea, I immediately signed on. “Like Mount Vernon, this circus is a place where the pulse of the community beats.”

Some months back organizers of the circus met with Mayor Davis to discuss working with the city. An outgrowth of their discussions led to an invitation to Mayor Davis to host a special night for residents to get together under the big tent for some family fun. “The UniverSoul Circus is a circus where soul is not a color – it’s an experience that Mount Vernon residents won’t soon forget,” said Mayor Davis.

The interactive combination of circus arts, theater, and music crossing a number of genres makes this circus one of the most interactive in the country. It is the first Black circus since Ephraim Williams developed Black traveling shows in the late 1880s. Cedric “Ricky” Walker, the circus’ founder and producer, committed himself to producing a show rich in culture, faith, and history by providing family-based entertainment for African American communities long underserved by the entertainment industry.

The Circus has a new big top tent imported from Italy featuring bold red and yellow stripes and purple accents was designed and constructed exclusively for UniverSoul Circus in collaboration with the famed Italian design firm Canobbio. Theatre-in-the-round seating can accommodate 2,278 guests.

This year’s production, the TURN IT UP TOUR, features new acts, including a neck-breaking head balancing act from Vietnam, Beat Box and a Capella vocalists from Atlanta, and a Magic Cat Illusion featuring live Tigers. Performers include artists from the United States, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, France, Vietnam, South Africa, Russia, Brazil and West Africa. Since its debut, UniverSoul has successfully turned the traditional circus world upside down. By 1997 the circus tour had grown to a 10 city tour; to 19 cities in 1999; a South Africa tour 2001, an Emmy nominated HBO special in 1998, and 25 cities in 2012.

Tickets for the UniverSoul Circus Mount Vernon Night are available online through Ticketmaster, www.ticketmaster.com . Prices range from $25/person to $35/person. Children under 12 months can enter for free as long as they sit on their parent’s lap. No strollers or car seats are permitted.